Power transmitting mechanism



E. W. LARSEN POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM May 18, 1937.

Filed May 3, 1933 I INVENTOR IE. wzmsm flmwmw Patented May 18, 1937 POWER TRANSMITTING MECHANISM Einer W. Larsen, Chicago, 121., assignor to Western Electric Company,

Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 3, 1933, Serial No. 669,153

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a power transmitting mechanism and more particularly to a mechanism which is adapted for driving the distributing apparatus of a winding machine.

In strand distributors for winding machines, provision is frequently necessary of mechanism for adjustment of the rate of motion of the distributor in accordance with the size of the strands being wound, as well as mechanism for driving the distributor in timed relation to the winding arbor and mechanism for reversing the motion of the distributor. The use of an ordinary change gear mechanism increases the complexity of a mechanism already somewhat complex, thus increasing the danger that the driven member will not run faithfully in synchronism with the driving member, as well as being a somewhat cumbersome method of changing the speed ratio. There are other applications also for an easily adjustable gear ratio in which back lash or loose motion is reduced to a minimum.

It is an object of the invention to provide a power transmitting mechanism in which the ratio of motion between a driving and driven member may be easily adjusted and also one in which the desired ratio will not be subject to undesirable fluctuations.

In one embodiment of the invention a power transmitting mechanism comprises a driven ro tary member, which in turn drives a distributor through a reversing mechanism, and which is driven by a plurality of successively actuated rotary clutch members. The actuating mechanism for the respective clutch members comprises a flexible strip which engages the periphery of the corresponding clutch member and which is given its actuating motion by a pair of interconnected adjustable stroke levers oscillated by a respective cam on a driven shaft. The design and timing of the cams are such that if the drive shaft is rotated at a uniform rate the corresponding clutches will be driven at uniform speed during successive, slightly overlapping periods of time.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of the apparatus; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate similar elements throughout the various views, reference numeral Ill designates a housing mounted upon a suitable support and having a drive shaft II journaled in suitable bearings carried thereby.

The outer end of the drive shaft I I, that is, the end at the left (Fig. 1), has a pulley I2 mounted thereupon for receiving a belt I3 from a motor or other suitable power means (not shown) for ro tating the drive shaft I I continuously in one direction. The other or right end of the drive shaft II is provided with a chuck I5 for receiving one end of a core or arbor I6 upon which a coil is to be wound. The other end of the core I 6 is receivable in a chuck I'i disposed in general alignment with the chuck I5 and rotatably journaled in a bearing l8 which is adjustably mounted on the housing I!) in any suitable manner (not shown).

A worm 22 is fixed to the shaft I I intermediate its ends and interengages a worm gear 23. The worm gear 23 is keyed to one' end of a cam shaft 25, which is journaled in bearingsand has fixedly mounted thereon uniform rise cams 26, 21 and 28. These cams are so arranged'that their lowest points are from each other and the rise of each cam takes place over a distance of the rise overlap of each cam being 10.

Disposed in engagement with the cams 26, 2'! and 28 are rollers 30 rotatably carried by adjacent each of the cam levers 3|, 32 and 33 and has its upper end disposed in engagement with the lower surface of the cam levers. The plungers 36 are slidable vertically in apertures of a bracket 31, which is slidable on a rod 38 and connected by means of threads to an adjusting shaft 39. The adjusting shaft 39 is rotatably supported in bearings and extends longitudinally through the housing HI where it carries a handwheel 43 upon the outer end thereof for rotating the adjusting shaft and causing movement of the plungers 36 relative to the cam levers and clutch actuating arms 52 upon which the plungers rest.

The clutch actuating arms 52 are pivotally supported at their left ends, as indicated at 54, while the other ends thereof are secured to the adjacent ends of suitable clutch actuating means,

such as bands or friction strips 56. The friction strips 56 extend upwardly and over clutch units indicated generally at 6B and from the clutch units to the upper ends of springs 62 where they are secured, the lower ends of the springs being secured to a pin 63.

The clutch members 60 are composed of annular outer clutch members 85, 86 and .8] around which :the friction strips extend to operatively connect the outer clutch members to their respective actuating arms 52. Inner clutch members 90, 9I and 92 are fixed to a sleeve 93 and have recesses 94 (Fig. 1) disposed at equallyv spaced positions in their peripheries, the inner surfaces of the recesses being tapered in like directions with respect to their radial center lines. Clutch rollers 95 are disposed in the recesses 94 and are normally urged toward the smaller ends of the recesses and in engagement with the inner periphery of their respective outer clutch memberslby 9 6.

The sleeve :93 is mounted upon bearings :disnosed concentric with .a hollow :shaft 199 and has slidalbly disposed in and keyed to one end thereof a collar 118.0, which carries on itsinner surface tapered outer clutch elements :or surfaces I01 and M2. The collar .IN is grooved at M3 to receive rollers'of a yoke 104,, which is actuated by .any suitable means (not shown.) for sliding the collar in an axial direction. The outer clutch element MI is positioned to engage an inner I clutch elementzlll5 which is fixed to the hollow shaft :39 while theouter clutch element I92 is arranged to engage 3.11 inner clutch element I06, the latter (being fixedly mounted upon a solid shaft lIzIt-L The shaft 181 and the hollow shaft 99 extend through the sleeve '83 carrying the clutch emits 6.0., the shaft l b! being giournaled :in suitable bearings 4110i; shownt forsupporting the entire clutch assembly and rotatably mounted in "the hcllowshaft .99. A gear H8 is .keyed to the hotlow shaft 99 at the outer end thereof and a gear H! of equal diameter issecured to the shaft I01 adjacent the gear 110.

The gear IN is idisposedrin mesh with an idler near [1.2 and the latter :is in mesh with a. rack .4 I6. The-rack H6 is fixed to :a material guide or distributor camage'lfl (Figs. 2 and 3),, which is Islidably mounted upon a supporting her H8 and held against rotation by an outwardly projection :arm 1.4.6 slida-ble in aslot 4.26. The outer end of the arm =I-I9 rotatably supports a sheave I2I over which material I22, such as wire, passes from aslxpply spool 423 to the core 16. Thegear I l-0 interengages a rack 125 which is also fixed to the carriage .411 :(Fig. 3) :and has an auxiliary rack I26 positioned adjacent thereto and in engagement with the gear I-III for eliminating back lash "1n the connection between the rack I25 and gear 6; A pin I26 carried by the rack 126 extends through and is movable in an elongated slot I29 in the rack 1I25. ,A :spring I236, having one end secured to lthe' pin .128 and the other endsecured to a pin -I.3I carried by the rack I26, urges the racks in opposite directions relative to each other to form a tight connection between the rack and the gear Hall and eliminate back lash. In Ellractice :a similar arrangement may be employed for eliminating back lash in the connection between gear I12 and the rack I I6, but this has been omitted for the purpose of simplifying the drawing. 7

"When the machine is :in operation, the chuck I5 continuously rotates the core I6 through the continuous rotation of the shaft ll. 'The end of the wire I22 is, of course, fixed to the core I6 while the machine is at rest. During the continuous rotation of the shaft II, a rotary movement is imparted to the cams 26, 21 and 28, which in their proper order move their respective cam levers 3|, 32 and 33 downwardly about their pivots 34 to impart movement to the clutch actuating arms 52. In following through one cycle of rotation of one of the cams, for example, cam 2.8,let it be assumed that the low point of the cam is in engagement with the cam roller 30 of the cam lever 33. As the high point of the cam moves toward and into engagement with the roller 36 of the cam lever 33, the cam lever is moved downwardly about its, pivot 34, moving with it its respective plunger 36, through whichmovement is imparted to the clutch actuatinglever 52 which it engages. The movement of the clutch actuating lever is downwardly about its pivot 54 and this movement moves the friction strip 56 downwardly against the tension of its respective spring 62, imparting a predetermined rotary movement to the outer clutch member 61, moving this clutch member 'in a counterclockwise direction, viewing Fig. 1. The movement of the outer clutch member :81 in a counterclockwise direction moves the inner clutch member 92 in the same direction due to the frictional connection between these clutch members caused by thespringpressedrollers '95. The inner clutch member 92, being fixed to the sleeve 96, rotates the collar I! in a counterclockwise direction; and while the outer clutch element MI is in engagement with the sinner clutch -element 1, thus causing a similar movement of the' sheave I-2I and the wire I22 to guide the wire at a predetermined speed tothe rightas it is bein wound upon the core I6. 7

When .the high point of the cam lever 33, the cam 26 has begun its operation of the cam lever -3I in view of the t-fact, that the rise of the cam .26 has moved intoyengagement with the roller 30 of the cam lever 34.

7 28 1s moved into engagement with the roller 38 of the cam Therefore, the

cam 26, through the cam lever 3.I., its respective actuating plunger 36, clutch arm 52, and band 56 continues the movement of the distributor carriage II -'I to the right at the same predetermined speed through the counterclockwise rotation of the outer clutch member 85, and the inner clutch member 90 which is secured to the sleeve 93.. The :cam 21 is similarly arranged to continue the operation just before the high point of the cam 26 is moved into engagement with the roller 36 of the cam lever 3|. As described in the foregoing, the rise of each cam takes place over a distance of giving a rise overlap for each cam of 10, so that the subsequent cam will take up the operation before the previous cam completes the operative portion of its cycle, resulting in a continuous rotation of the sleeve 93 and the elements actuated by its rotation, which actuation carries through to the distributor carriage I I1.

As the high point of each cam passes beyond its respective roller 36, the cam lever associated therewith is moved upwardly by one of thesprings 62, pulling upon the friction strip :56 connected thereto to move the clutch actuating lever, with 15 which it is associated, upwardly, moving its actuating plunger35 upwardly and thus moving the adjacent cam actuating lever upwardly so that the roller 30 thereof will continueto engage its respective cam during the approach of the low point thereof. During the return of these elements to what might be termed their normal or inoperative position, the outer clutch member, for example the outer clutch member 8?, will be moved'in a clockwise direction relative to the inner clutch member, this being permitted by' the clutch rollers 95 rolling toward the larger ends of their respective recesses 94 and out of looking or wedging positions due to their engagement with the inner peripheral surface of the outer clutch member. The inner clutch member 92 is, of course, continuously rotated in a counter clockwise direction in that it is fixed to the sleeve 93 and while the outer clutch member 81 is being returned to its normal or inoperative position ready to take up the operation in its turn the inner clutch member continues its rotation, it being driven in turn by the other inner clutch members 9| and 93.

The earns 26, 21 and 28 being identical in general contour and having their high points equally spaced bring about, through the clutch units 69 a continuous uniform rotation of the sleeve 93 in a counterclockwise direction, imparting a con tinuous movement to the right of the distributor carriage II! when the clutch elements NH and I95 are engaged, this movement of the distributor carriage being at a predetermined constant rate of speed to uniformly distribute the wire I22 upon the core 16.

Any conventional means or system may be employed to actuate the yoke I94 for moving the outer clutch element l0] out of engagement with the inner clutch element I05 and move the outer clutch element I92 into engagement with the inner clutch element I06 to disconnect the hollow shaft 99 from the sleeve 93 and to connect the solid shaft I91 to the sleeve when the carriage I i! has moved a desired distance to the right and to cause a movement of the carriage to the left. The action of the cam levers 3|, 32, and 33 through the rotation of their respective cams, continues the actuation of the clutch units 89 rotating the shaft ID! in a counterclockwise direction with the gear HI, rotating the idler gear H2 in a clockwise direction, thus moving 'the rack H6 with the carriage IIT to the left at the same rate of speed at which the carriage was moved to the right. t

The rate of movement of the carriage may be varied by rotating the handwheel 43 to move the bracket 31 with the actuating plungers longitudinally of the cam levers 3|, 32 and 33 and their respective clutch actuating arms 52, to vary the effective stroke of each plunger. It will be observed that by moving the plungers 36 to the left along the straight under surfaces of the cam levers and the straight upper surfaces of the clutch actuating arms, the effective movement of each cam lever and clutch actuating arm will be increased, increasing the distance of rotation of the outer clutch members 85, 89 and 87, and thus increasing the speed of rotation of the hollow shaft 99 or the solid shaft I0! through their connections with the outer clutch members. A movement to the right of the actuating plungers 36 will in a similar manner decrease the speed of rotation of the shafts 99 and I0! and by varying the speed of rotation of these shafts the speed f of movement of the carriage H1 is varied. One

important feature of the speed varying means is that it may be brought about while the machine is in operation and furthermore exceedingly fine adjustments may be made to compensate for the fine variations in the sizes of the material which may be distributed.

Even though the embodiments of the invention herein described'illustrate the power transmitting mechanism as being employed to actuate a distributing means, it should be understood that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

'1. In a transmission mechanism, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a cam on the driving shaft, an oscillatory cam lever operatively engaging said cam, a second lever spaced from and substantially parallel to .the cam lever and having its free end extending in a direction opposite to that of the cam lever, a plunger extending between and slidably engaging said levers for transmitting the motion from said cam lever to said second lever, and means operatively connecting said second lever to said driven shaft for converting the oscillatory movement of the said second lever into a rotary motion of said driven shaft.

2. In a transmission mechanism, a driving shaft, a pair of spaced and substantially parallel levers having their free ends extending in opposite directions, a cam on said shaft for oscillating one of said levers, a plunger extending between and slidably engaging said levers through which the movement of the cam actuated lever 53 imparts a variable movement to the other lever, and means for sliding said plunger longitudinally of said levers.

3. In a transmission mechanism, a driving shaft, a plurality of pairs of spaced and substantially parallel levers having their free ends extending in opposite directions, a separate cam on said driving shaft for actuating one lever of each pair, a separate plunger extending between and adjustable lengthwise of the levers of each pair through which each cam actuated lever imparts a variable movement to the other lever of the pair, and common means for adjusting all of the plungers simultaneously.

4. In a transmission mechanism, a shaft, a

plurality of pulleys on said shaft, a one-way clutch separately connecting each pulley to said shaft, a plurality of flexible elements, one in driving engagement with each pulley, and means for intermittently moving said elements in overlapr.-

ping succession in the same direction to drive said shaft continuously at a uniform speed.

5. In a transmission mechanism, a shaft, a plurality of pulleys on said shaft, a one-way clutch separately connecting each pulley to said shaft, a plurality of flexible elements, one in driving engagement with each pulley, a plurality of levers, one connected to each flexible element, and means for oscillating said levers in overlapping succession to drive said shaft continuously at a uniform speed.

6. In a transmission mechanism, a shaft, a plurality of pulleys on said shaft, a one-way clutch separately connecting each pulley to said shaft, a plurality of flexible elements, one in driving engagement with each pulley, a plurality of levers, one connected to each flexible element, means for oscillating said levers in overlapping succession to drive said shaft continuously at a uniform speed, and means for altering the move- Shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of clutches separately connected to said driven shaftto drive it inone direction, a plurality of flexible elements, one in driving engagement with each clutch,,-a plurality of oscillatory clutch actuating members, each fulcrumed at one end and connected at its-free end to a, corresponding flexible elemerit, .a plurality of cam levers, one for each clutch actuating lever, a corresponding number of cams arranged on said driving shaft for imparting an oscillatory movement to said cam levers in overlapping succession, and means for transmitting the oscillatory movement from said cam levers to said clutch actuating "levers.

9. In a transmission mechanism, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a plurality of clutches separately connected to said driven shaft to drive it in one direction, a plurality of flexible elements, one in driving engagement with each clutch, a plurality of oscillatory clutch actuating members, each fulcrumed at one end and connected at its free end to a corresponding flexible element, a; plurality of cam levers, one for each clutch actuating lever, a corresponding number of cams arranged on said driving shaft for imparting an oscillatory movement to said cam levers in overlapping succession, adjustable connections between said cam levers and said clutch actuating levers for transmitting the oscillatory movement to said clutch actuating levers, and means for adjusting said connections to alter the movement of said clutchactuating levers.

EINER. W. LARSEN. 

